New Umbra is ruled by the mastermind, the Smoke. Twelve-year-old Reuben is aloof to the city’s political problems until he discovers a mysterious watch. Reuben attempts to pawn the watch to help his mother, but it turns out the Smoke desperately wants the watch. Reuben decides to wind the watch and he turns invisible. Reuben relishes being invisible, but the Smoke’s agents zero in on him. Reuben leaves home to protect his mother and find the watch’s true owner. This leads him to the Meyer family and their legend with the watch. Because of their family’s legend, siblings Penny and Jack Meyer agree to help Reuben overthrow the Smoke. Stewart expertly creates another unique middle-grade masterpiece full of puzzles, humor, and suspense. But the clever clues don’t overshadow the emotional depth of Stewart’s book. Before finding the watch, Reuben’s life was difficult. He father was killed and his mother struggles to provide for them. These trials rule Reuben’s life, not the political problems caused by the Smoke. When Reuben finds and uses the watch, he temporarily escapes his life by invisibility. But as Reuben gets entangled with the Smoke, Reuben realizes the Smoke’s addiction to the watch is the reason behind all the suffering in New Umbra. It’s a difficult realization for Reuben, but once he lets go of the watch, everyone flourishes, including himself. A fantastic read for ages 12 and up.
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